Sunday, May 31, 2015

Gil and Kelly Bates responded to Access Hollywood's request for a statement regarding the recent attention that the Duggars have received by the media.

"We are praying for our dear friends," said Gil and Kelly. "We respect their privacy and have no further comment at this time."

Gil and Kelly Bates and their 19 children star in Bringing Up Bates, a reality TV series that airs on UP TV. The Bates and Duggar families have been close friends since their oldest children were four feet tall (see picture below).

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Next week, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar will join Megyn Kelly on Fox News to discuss the heartbreaking situation involving Josh Duggar that their family went through 12 years ago.

The first part of the interview will air Wednesday at 9pm ET during The Kelly File. The second segment, which will feature footage from an interview at the Duggars' house, will air Friday at 9pm ET duringa one-hour special of The Kelly File.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

ESPN radio personality Tony Kornkeiser shared his thoughts on what the media is calling the "Duggar scandal" on The Tony Kornheiser Show. Tony is by no means a 19 Kids and Counting fan, but he weighed in on the situation in support of the Duggars.

"My sense of the Duggars is ... they are a very politically astute family," said Kornhesier.

The ESPN talk show host said he does does not condone Josh's behavior, but he admitted he does not understand why the tabloids are out to destroy his reputation over something that was dealt with 12 years ago.

"I'm not even sure that it's reasonable for this guy to be driven from his job," stated Kornhesier.
"Wasn't it addressed a while back? And the only reason he's quitting his job now is because ... it became public."

Kornheiser also made it clear that he does not agree with those accusing Josh of lying to viewers simply because he did not reveal his wrongdoings sooner. According to Kornheiser, the Duggars had the right to address the situation privately.

You don't have
to go out and confess everything you have ever done to everyone in the
world!" exclaims Kornheiser. He was a kid!"

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Following the release of the 2006 police report containing accusations against Josh Duggar last Thursday, TLC removed 19 Kids and Counting from its lineup for the foreseeable future, and at least four major corporations decided to stop supporting the show.

General Mills, Walgreens, Choice Hotels, and Payless ShoeSource caved to customer complaints and the media but announcing that they will not longer be advertising during 19 Kids and Counting. We have provided contact information for each organization below. (Links are in blue.)

Last Friday, TLC revealed its decision to pull 19 Kids and Counting from its lineup for the foreseeable future. Since that announcement, the Duggars' web presence on the TLC website has been significantly decreased.

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their children have developed a close relationship with TLC/Discovery and the 19 Kids and Counting crew since filming for the family's first special, "14 Children and Pregnant Again," began more than 11 years ago. The crew has faithfully stood by the Duggars' side through the ups and downs, and Jim Bob and Michelle have said many times that they are like family.

The network has not officially canceled the show, so there is still time to make your voices heard. We urge you to continue posting comments to our blog and to contact the TLC/Discovery Viewer Relations Department. (Click here to visit the Viewer Relations contact page.)

You can also go to the 19 Kids and Counting page, click the red "Feedback" button in the bottom right corner, select "Show or Network Feedback," and then enter your comments. As fans and viewers of the show, your opinions matter.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

According to KFSM Channel 5 News in Northwest Arkansas, State Senator Bart Hester is calling for the dismissal of Springdale Police Chief Kathy O'Kelley.

O'Kelley, along with Springdale City
Attorney Ernest Cate, released the 2006 police report containing the accusations against Josh Duggar to In Touch Weekly. It was posted to the magazine's website last Thursday. By the end of the day, Washington County Juvenile Judge Stacey Zimmerman had issued a court order that the document be destroyed and expunged from the public record, reported KFSM.

"The
law to protect minors’ identities is not a suggestion," Hester told KFSM. "So sad to see the person charged with
protecting the community being so reckless and irresponsible. I believe
it is unavoidable that the Springdale police chief should be
terminated. She has re-victimized these young ladies."

Hester is concerned that O'Kelley will release police reports containing the details of other similar cases with juvenile victims. This incident occurred just two weeks after O'Kelley announced that she would be retiring at the end of June.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Professional blogger Matt Walsh revealed d his thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding the Duggars on The Blaze. Although he watches the show with his wife, Walsh is not a fan of 19 Kids and Counting, but he does admire the family.

"They are living by their convictions, in defiance of cultural trends, and
clearly bestowing a strong faith in all of their children," writes Walsh. "That faith hasn’t...made any of them perfect saints, but it seems genuine."

Josh has been called a hypocrite by many media networks and individuals, but Walsh explains why he does not agree with that accusation.

"A Christian failing to live up to
his faith does not make him a hypocrite," says Walsh. "It makes him cowardly, perhaps. It
makes him selfish. It makes him flawed. It makes him sinful. It makes him any
number of things, but not necessarily a hypocrite. A hypocrite is an insincere
person who misrepresents his own beliefs."

"I’m not diminishing Josh Duggar’s
infractions," continues Walsh. "As I said, he did something very bad. But Christians commit major sins sometimes, which
is the whole reason why Jesus died on the cross."

Walsh also puts himself in Jim Bob and Michelle's shoes and admits that if his son made the same mistakes as Josh, he might not "immediately run to the cops."

"Would you?" Walsh asks his readers. "Is it really that
simple? The decision to have your child arrested as a sex offender would be an
automatic thing for you? Really?"

"..It appears that Josh’s
parents attempted to address the situation within their family before going to
the church, and then eventually to a law enforcement officer," says Walsh. "As a parent, you have to think
whether your 14 year old son deserves to have his life ruined over his
mistakes. Maybe you’d decide that he does. I can’t say I’d agree."

Republicanpresidential candidate Mike Huckabee published a heart-felt Facebook post explaining why he and his wife, Janet, still support the Duggars.

"Josh’s
actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself,
'inexcusable,' but that doesn’t mean 'unforgivable,'" writes Huckabee. "He and his family
dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the
authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now
trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story."

"No one needs to
defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his
sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a
responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his
family’s authenticity and humility," continues Huckabee. "Janet and I love Jim Bob and
Michelle and their entire family.We have been blessed to receive God’s
love and we would do no less than to extend our love and support for our
friends."

It is with heavy hearts that we share this message from TLC, released this afternoon:

Effective immediately, TLC has pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and
Counting currently from the air. We are deeply saddened and troubled by
this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the
family and victims at this difficult time.

The season finale of 19 Kids and Counting aired on Tuesday, May 19th. TLC has not announced plans to officially cancel the show but has pulled the show for the foreseeable future.

We will keep you updated and will continue blogging about the Duggars. Please keep the family in your prayers during this difficult time, and be sure to show your support for them. As fans and viewers of the show, your voices matter.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Due to the nature of this incident and the misrepresentation of information that is likely to occur, we encourage you to exercise caution when reading about the allegations against Josh Duggar on other websites.

Please keep the Duggar family in your prayers during this time. Based on more than 200 episodes of the Duggars' reality TV show, the positive impact the family has made on millions of people across the globe, and the statements that PEOPLE released last night (see our previous blog post), as well as our own personal interactions with the family, it is clear that Josh Duggar sought forgiveness and guidance years ago and is now following God.

News about the incidents involving Josh, which occurred 12 years ago, was communicated to the public by a media outlet, who had obtained police reports from the Springdale Police Department, this week. When other news organizations requested the same reports, the Springdale Police Department stated that the records had since been expunged. Because of the nature of the incident, the reports should not have been released by the Springdale Police Department.

In his resignation letter to Family Research Council, Josh Duggar expressed deep regret that recent media reports about a dark time during his young teenage years have brought negative attention to the organization. FRC Action's mission to fortify the traditional foundations of civil
society is more important now than ever before, and I'm heartbroken that
any attention has been diverted from these noble causes to my wrong
actions as a young teenager. I am so thankful for God's grace,
forgiveness and redemptive heart that allowed me to transform into a man
of faith and testimony. In good faith I cannot allow Family Research Council to be impacted by
mistakes I made as a teenager, so I am resigning as Executive Director
of FRC Action.

Josh also requested prayer for himself and Anna as they seek to "discover the next chapter of [their] lives."(More on PEOPLE.com)

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Josh Duggar resigned from his position at the Family Research Council following accusations that he molested five underage girls as a teenager.

Josh, his wife, and his parents released statements via PEOPLE.com this evening.

"Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably, for
which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including
my family and close friends," Josh told PEOPLE. "I
confessed this to my parents, who took several steps to help me address
the situation. We spoke with the authorities, where I confessed my
wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my
actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down
this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life."

Jim Bob and Michelle told PEOPLE that this incident, which occurred 12 years ago, was a dark time for their family. They were shocked by their son's behavior, but they lovingly came alongside him to help him through it. The Duggars say they grew closer to God through this ordeal.

"We pray that as people watch our lives, they see that we
are not a perfect family," Jim Bob and Michelle told PEOPLE. "We have challenges and struggles every day. It
is one of the reasons we treasure our faith so much because God's
kindness and goodness and forgiveness are extended to us – even though
we are so undeserving. We hope somehow the story of our journey – the
good times and the difficult times – cause you to see the kindness of
God and learn that He can bring you through anything."

When this incident occurred, Josh's family members responded with grace and forgiveness. They have chose to stand by him because they know he deeply regrets his actions and that he is now following after God.

Josh confessed his mistakes to Anna and her parents two years before proposing. Anna says she was "surprised at his openness and humility."

[I know] who Josh
really is – someone who had gone down a wrong path and had humbled
himself before God and those whom he had offended," said Anna. "Someone
who had received the help needed to change the direction of his life and
do what is right."

Josh says he "would do anything to go back to those teen years and take
different actions." As a teenager, he sought forgiveness from the people he had wronged and from God. "In my life
today, I am so very thankful for God's grace, mercy, and redemption," said Josh.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins released a statement following Josh's resignation:

"Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be
effective in his current work. We believe this is the best decision for
Josh and his family at this time. We will be praying for everyone
involved."

We uploaded an updated blog header, designed by Rachel, one
of the 13 talented children of Loren and Gloria Wissmann. The Wissmanns have a traveling bluegrass/Gospel band and are close friends of
the Duggars.
Rachel also updated the cover photo for our Facebook page.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

What is
courtship? Jason's definition of courting is "dating with a purpose."
The focus of courtship is to get to know the person and his or her family with
marriage in mind.

"Not
all courtships end in marriage, and that's okay," says Jinger.

"Don't
be afraid to get involved in your kids' relationships," Jim Bob tells
parents. For the first half of their courtship, Jessa and Ben's texts were
group texts with Jim Bob and Michelle.

Jim Bob and
Michelle admit that they kissed before marriage, so they encourage their kids
to learn from their mistakes and save their first kiss. But they want their
children to set their own courtship standards.

Jim Bob and
Michelle encourage their kids to take a chaperone along on all their dates so
they have someone to keep them accountable and ensure that they stick to their
courtship standards.

Anna says
it's not about having the same guidelines as one's siblings. Rather, the goal
should be to maintain a pure heart before God.

Even the
youngest Duggar kids know their family's guidelines for relationships. "A
chaperone is one that watches like [an] engagement or courting person," says
Jordyn. "But they don't watch a married person."

The married
Duggars (Josh, Jill, and Jessa) all had three-month engagements. They chose to
save their physical relationship for marriage, and a shorter engagement helped
cut down on the temptations. Joy shares her perspective: "Once you say
yes, I mean, why wait forever? I just say get it done."

The Duggars
also make sure they are ready to be parents before they commit to marriage. Jill
and Derick found out they were expecting only four weeks after their wedding. Jessa
and Ben got pregnant about three months after they tied the knot. Josh and Anna
received a positive pregnancy test four months after their wedding.

19 Kids and Counting "Digging In
With the Duggars"

Erica Hill,
a journalist for NBC, chats with the Duggars about their milestone year.
Everyone is there but Joseph, who is away at school, John-David, who is
working, and Derick, who is recovering from dental surgery.

Why is
modesty so important for the Duggars? Michelle says that as a teenager, she did
not understand how her revealing clothing was affecting the men around here. "What's
she's saying is, she used to mow her yard in her bikini," says Jim Bob,
laughing. Michelle smiles.

Erica shows
the family a combination of clips that illustrate their overuse of the words "special,"
sweet," "amazing," and "hey, hey," as well as Jim
Bob's overuse of the phrases "I'll tell you what" and "hey, hey,
hey."

The Duggars
also discuss jurisdictions (chores). Josie is currently in charge of gathering
the laundry, and according to Jinger, she likes to smell it to determine
whether it is dirty or clean.

Michelle talks
about the eating disorder she struggled with as a teenager. She brought it to
light in her daughters' book, Growing Up
Duggar, in hopes that it would help others going through the same thing.

Jim Bob and
Michelle discuss Josie's premature birth and the seizures she has had since
then. "I'm all better now," says Josie. Doctors expect that Josie
will outgrow her seizures, which occur when she spikes a fever, by the time she
is ten. Josie performs "Amazing Grace" and reveals her incredible
singing voice.

Josh and
Anna plan to give baby #4 an "M" name.

Jessa and
Ben are still pursuing adoption and are scheduled to attend a class for
perspective adoptive parents.

Jill and Derick
are adjusting well to being parents. Derick blesses his wife by changing all
the nighttime diapers. Jill says that many people have commented on how Israel
looks like "a mini Jim Bob." The Duggar dad's response to that is:
"What a beautiful baby!"

Do the kids
ever get jealous of one another? Jessa says yes, especially when it comes to
music. But Jim Bob and Michelle encourage their kids to ask God to help them be
content with who they are and to look for their own strengths.

Marjorie,
Josiah's girlfriend, joins the family on the set and shares her first impression
of her boyfriend: "He was a jokester."

A few months
ago, Josiah asked Marjorie's parents for permission to get to know Marjorie
better. Their courtship became official on April 6th. Joy says Marjorie fits in
well with the Duggar family.

What is next
for the Duggar family? Jim Bob and Michelle are still hoping to have more kids.
Josh predicts another courtship, but Jana and Jinger say they have no news to
share.

Tune in to TLC right now for an all-day Duggar marathon, followed by "Duggars' Guide to Love" at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Then stick around for the 19 Kids and Counting season finale at 9pm ET/8pm CT. In "Digging In With the Duggars," journalist Erica
Hill sits down with Jim Bob, Michelle, and the kids to talk about family, marriage, babies,
and new courtships. They are even joined by a few surprise guests to add
to their most exciting season yet.

Friday, May 15, 2015

This week, the Duggars made the two-hour trek to Branson Missouri's Silver Dollar City, one of their favorite places to visit. Marjorie Jackson and her family also went along. Josiah and Marjorie have been courting since April 6th.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Just over five weeks ago, Israel Dillard was born via emergency C-section. It is hard to believe that at this time last year, Jill and Derick had only been engaged for six weeks and were gearing up for their June 21st wedding. Now, they are first-time parents to a beautiful little big boy. Both mom and baby are doing well, and the Dillards are enjoying parenthood.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

In a segment from last night's episode, members of the 19 Kids and Counting camera crew share their experiences traveling overseas with the Duggars. "One thing we are always doing, especially on international trips, is headcounts," says coordinating producer Courtney Enlow. "And when you don't hit that 19, your heart stops."

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

19 Kids and Counting "Behind the Scenes"
Members of
the 19 Kids and Counting film crew
share their experiences working with the Duggars.

Courtney Enlow, Coordinating producer

-Has worked
with the Duggars since "14 Children and Pregnant Again" aired more
than 10 years ago.

-Courtney
says the kids are very well behaved but that she is not afraid to speak sternly
if a child is doing something that is dangerous or against family rules.

Scott Enlow (Uncle Scott), Director and
Photographer

-Has also been
part of the camera crew for more than a decade (married to Courtney).

-Scott says
taking family pictures of the Duggars is a struggle. "Getting them all on
the same page to do anything is difficult."

-Scott jokes
that when a child is misbehaving, he tells them: "You listen to me because
I have been in this family longer than you have."

Jim Goodwin (Uncle Jim), Sound Man

-Has been a
member of the crew for several years.

-"This
is probably the best job I have ever had," says Jim. "The family is
truly a delight to work with. The children are very open with us."

John Rotan, Camera Man

-Has worked
on the set since June 2009.

-"They
are the most fun group of kids and adults I have ever met," says John
Rotan. He also says that the crew has "built up quite an immune system
working on this show," recalling a chicken pox epidemic that hit the
Duggar family a few years ago.

Jim Bob says
that when the crew first came into his home more than 10 years ago, he was nervous
about allowing his kids to be around strangers. Now, the Duggars have full
trust in the members of the crew.

Often, the
crew hears big news, such as the gender of a baby, before the rest of the
family. "They probably know more about our family than we do
sometimes," says John Duggar.

"There
have been attempts to extract secrets by bribery," says Jim the sound man.

A few years
ago, the crew enjoyed handing their equipment over to the children and allowing
them to tape an episode of the show. "The kids have just absorbed so much
wisdom and information from our film crew because they are so good at what they
do," says Michelle.

The crew has
also learned a lot from watching the Duggars parent 19 kids. "Michelle is
probably the most patient person you will ever meet," says Courtney. "She
runs a great house. She runs a tight ship."

The crew
especially enjoys going overseas with the Duggars. While they were in China,
Courtney's water broke, and she delivered her baby. Jana and Jill were by her
side through the entire delivery.

The Duggars
all agree that the crew does a fantastic job at filming and producing the show.

19 Kids and Counting "Anna's Having A..."

Ultrasound
technicians come to Josh and Anna's home to perform an ultrasound. They write
the baby's gender on a piece of paper and place it in a sealed envelope. Josh
and Anna then head to Arkansas and hand the envelope off to Sierra, who is
planning a gender reveal party.

Josh and
Anna stop by their old house, where Jessa and Ben are now living. Then they
leave the kids with Jim Bob and Michelle and fly to California, where Josh has
a commitment.

In
California, Josh and Anna walk along Santa Monica Pier. Anna is afraid of
Ferris wheels, so Josh takes her on one so she can conquer her fear. Then, Josh
rides a trapeze.

During their
trip, Josh and Anna visit Angels Way Maternity Home, a residence for homeless
women who are pregnant.

Back in
Arkansas, Sierra enlists the Duggars to help her set up for the gender reveal party.
They make signs to put up along the road leading to the Duggars' gate. Then
they take 200 pink flamingos and paint half of them blue, so they can
"flock the yard."

On the day
of the party, Sierra and her husband and four children come over to do the
final setup. Josh and Anna arrive, and the entire family prepares to find out
the gender together. A few of the family members release pink confetti. It's a
girl!

Tune in to TLC tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT for two new episodes of 19 Kids and Counting, and then come back to the blog for a recap of the shows.

8pm ET: 19 Kids and Counting "Behind
the Scenes"

Members of the 19 Kids and Counting film crew share their
experiences of keeping up with the Duggars for the past decade.

9pm ET: 19 Kids and Counting "Anna's
Having A..."

With Baby #4 on the way for Josh and Anna, the
Duggars plan an unforgettable gender reveal for them while they're away in
California. Upon returning to Arkansas, they are in for a big surprise...is it
a boy or a girl?

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Welcome! We are the premiere source for factual, encouraging updates on Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar and their 19 kids (TLC's 19 Kids and Counting & Counting On). Our site is not maintained by the Duggars, but we (Lily and Ellie) are personal friends of the family.